The Danger and Beauty of Love
by ZestySweetHeart
Summary: Aria has never known love before. When one morning, the one person who drives her crazier than any one else shows up and interrupts her peace and quiet, things take quite the turn. Will Aria accept the fact that she has fallen for Orland or will she turn him away? Lots of fluff. T for mild language and sex. If you don't want to read sexual stuff don't read the third chapter. Enjoy!


**I have always had a soft spot for Aria and Orland. This story is for someone ****who specifically requested that I write an Aria x Orland fic. Here's the first chapter! Dang, it's really long. I hope you enjoy!**

Chapter one

"Oh, Daddy," I sighed, gazing out at the starry expanse of the night sky. The sun was slowly setting over Messhina Valley, casting a rich golden light over the autumn landscape. I remember the days my father, brother, and I would come here to the crossroads and watch the sunrise together after feeding the monsters in our barn.

"Where are you, Dad?" I asked him, calling out to him with my whispered cries. He has been gone since I was old enough to start school. My brother and I have since tried to find him any way I could. We followed every clue he left. Every monster I sent back to the Forest of Beginnings, every crop I planted, every stone tablet I earned... All of it was for my father. Aaron did the same. We were in it together.

And yet we had hit a dead end. Aaron has long since given up, becoming distracted by other things more pleasant than searching for the father who left us. He was content with chasing girls, while I wouldn't be content until I had found our father.

After all these years, I was still searching for some sort of temple. Some sort of massive labyrinthian prison for the beast that now threatened to destroy life as we all know it. I knew that once I found Fiersome, I would be one step closer to finding my father.

But like I said, I had hit a dead end. I had been stuck for years now. Slowly but surely my brother and I have grown. We aren't the little children we once were. Aaron and I are eighteen years old now. We just graduated the local school, having completed a series of elaborate tests that Barrett and Mana out together for us. Out of everyone in the class, only Orland, Leann, Aaron, Nina, and I passed.

My best friend since childhood, Nina, the daughter of Alicia and Nicholas, the blue-haired adventurer from Kardia, had aced the test. Better than the rest of us. I was a close second. Much to Orland and Aaron's dismay, the girls came out on top.

I wasn't surprised though. That woman was a prodigy. Not only was she beautiful and exotic like her mother, she had earned her father's taste for adventure, and his skills as well. Between Barrett, Nicholas, Tanya, and my brother and I, Nina had become very much the best of the best around. She practically lived in the dungeons. I looked up at the sky, marveling at the pale golden light that the dawn cast over the previously mentioned dungeons.

"It will never cease to amaze me how something so beautiful can be so dangerous, so deadly," a rich, low voice hummed in my ear. I jumped and in one swift movement I had clumsily ripped my sword off my back, taking with it the leather straps securing it in place, and I swung.

Metal clashed with metal and I found that my longsword was tightly locked against Orland's two short swords.

"Orland, you stupid halfling, you know better than to sneak up on me," I spat, my face burning in the heat of the moment. "I could have chopped your head off."

"No, you couldn't have," he said as he calmly stepped back and lowered his weapons. "My elf blood makes me too fast for you. You've never once come close to landing a blow on me." I narrowed my eyes at the boy- no- at the man standing proudly before me. He, I am almost ashamed to admit it, was right. We glared at each other for a long moment. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a thought struck me.

Orland has very beautiful eyes. My face burned crimson at the very thought. What the hell, Aria? You can't just go thinking stuff like that about your peers! No matter how beautiful their eyes are, or how soft their hair looks, or how muscular and toned their pale bodies look glistening in the morning light...

Stop that, Aria. Stop that right now! Now completely flustered, I snapped at the halfling.

"Well, it's still dangerous to sneak up on an armed warrior," I argued as I turned my back on him, unable to stare into the blue of his eyes any longer, and I roughly began to strap my sword in place again.

"The single most dangerous and most lovely warrior in all of Norad," Orland laughingly declared as he reached over and helped secure one of the leather straps I was fumbling with. If my face could get any redder... "I would risk clashing swords with you ten thousand times if only I would be blessed by the sight of you bathed in dawn's golden light every morning for the rest of my life." Never mind. My face was significantly redder.

"What the hell, Orland?" I growled through clenched teeth. "Stop saying stuff like that." He laughed again turning me toward him gently and brushing my bangs out of my face.

"Like what?" His voice was barely a whisper. I felt heat pooling in my stomach and I couldn't understand what was happening to me. I gulped visibly and took a shaking breath. He ran his large, strong hands up and down my trembling arms a few times while I stood there frozen. "Aria? What kind of stuff should I stop saying?"

"Like... Like..." I couldn't think when his hands were touching my bare skin like that... "You know. Stop that!" I shrugged away from him and backed up until at least six feet were between us.

"Stop what?" He quipped. "Making you blush?"

"NO!" I shouted, my voice echoing in the air around us. Yes, my heart beat wildly in my chest, an erratic rhythm I wasn't used to. "I mean, stop saying stuff like that. And doing stuff like... Like... That." Suddenly the six feet I had put between us was gone and his face was a mere couple inches from mine.

"You mean, stuff like... This?" And he put his hands on my waist and leaned down slowly... And, oh dragongods, he's going to kiss me... He's going to- oh, hell no, he isn't!

"DON'T!" I had my sword at his neck in an instant, and our eyes were locked, his hands were raised, and our lips were safely separated by this lovely thing called distance. "Don't ever try to do THAT again! Or I'll... I'll..."

"Or you'll what?" He sneered. Sneered! While I had my blade pressed up against his skinny neck!

"Or I will hurt you," I snarled, anger boiling up inside me. As I glared at him I saw every bit of steel and fire in his eyes vanish in a second, replaced by... By something else.

"No, you won't," he said softly. And I pulled away from him quickly. I halfway lowered my blade and staggered back. He was right.

"You're wrong," I insisted. My heart was going to explode. I knew it. It was beating way to fast. I was even having a hard time breathing right. "I could fight you. I fight you all the time."

"But you'd never hurt me," he said. He smiled at me, a sort of tender smile I'd seen more often than not as of late. I hadn't really wondered why. I just thought he was trying to get under my skin. Which he had been. And was doing right now. It just suddenly seemed different. "I don't think you could."

He wasn't trying to annoy me. He was trying to talk to me. Grimoire's scales, he tried to kiss me! What was going on here? My head was spinning... But I couldn't lose control.

"Why?" I said, backing away as he again drew closer. I was so wary of this person I had grown up alongside, played with, talked with, studied with, fought with. "I hurt things all the time. I've sent more monsters back to the Forest of Beginnings than I can count. I may be an Earthmate, but that doesn't mean I'm not capable of protecting myself from... From..."

"From what?" He snapped, suddenly angry. He frightened me so badly I dropped my sword, and it clattered loudly as it struck a rock on the ground. The ringing metal grated on my ears, but it didn't hurt as much as Orland's words. "I'm not a monster, Aria. Do you seriously think you need to protect yourself from me?" He was shouting in my face, and I held up my hands and screamed.

"NO! I mean, yes... Aahhh, I mean... Oh, I don't know!" I wrung my hands together as I spilled my guts to the last person on earth I ever expected to. "I just... Lately you've been acting so... So different! You say something and it pisses me off. And you just smile at me and it makes my blood boil, but it also makes my heart race and I... I feel things... Like... I just... I feel... AUGH!" I turned and punched a hole in the sign that read 'Trieste Forest'. Ouch. I am such an idiot...

I sighed and looked down at my hand, which was bleeding and covered in splinters. I sighed and didn't turn back to look at Orland. I just kept talking, clutching my wounded hand to my wounded heart.

"You've changed, Orland. Or I have. Or both, I don't know. It's just... Something is different. We never used to fight like this. I mean, we fought. But it was always fun. Not like lately. Lately you've just been making me crazy..." My voice faded away and I couldn't think of any other way to explain it. I turned around and looked at him, helpless.

"You're bleeding," he said worriedly, pulling a vial of healing potion and a bandage from his rucksack. "Let me help." I actually let him help. I could have just used a healing spell. But it felt wrong not to let him help after my tirade.

His hands were so gentle as they picked every last splinter from my tender skin. He carefully, almost tenderly, wrapped my hand. And then he held the vial up to my lips. I looked at him like he was stupid.

"I can drink it myself, Orland, I am eighteen years old. I'm not a baby," I grumbled. He stubbornly pushed the vial at my lips. I stubbornly held my mouth shut. When he prodded my lips with the vial and stared at me intensely, still not saying a word, I finally caved and opened my mouth, letting him practically bottle feed me the healing potion.

"There we go," he crooned. "Doesn't that feel better?" It did, but the way he was acting was infuriating.

"Shut up, Orland! Thanks for the potion and the bandage and whatever, but just shut up! You're driving me crazy! Why do have to be such an asshole and then be so... So... So freaking nice!?"

He was driving me mad. He had been doing so for the past year at least. And it had gotten worse since graduation. He was always saying stuff, and doing things... Riling me up and making me mad, and then suddenly making me feel... I don't know. Things. That I should feel. Not for him. Or anyone. It's like he's just messing with me. It almost reminded me of the way Aaron acts when he's... When he's... Flirting with girls...

"Damn it, Orland!" I whirled around and faced him again. He looked strangely happy. He had that smile on his face again. My stomach twisted in a knot and flip flopped. "You LIKE me, don't you?" His smile grew broader. I glared at him. I had so many feelings tumbling around inside me right now. Most of them very, very much akin to anger.

"Wow, you're pretty dumb," he said, the smile never leaving his face. "It's taken you a long while to figure that out. I wondered when you'd get it. I mean, everyone else knows." The anger vanished and was replaced by shock and embarrassment.

"W-what?" I stuttered. "Everyone... Knows...?" Now it was his turn to blush.

"Yeah, I mean, I kind of... Make it obvious... Um... I'm sorry, but I thought it was obvious..." He looked down at the ground, completely avoiding eye contact.

"To everyone but me!" I was mad.

"I swear, I thought you knew!" He was defensive. That made me even more mad.

"How could I have known that!? It never once crossed my mind!"

"How can you say that!? You've been encouraging me all this time!" WHAAAT!? I'm not a flirt, I don't encourage anything.

"Encouraging you? How can I have been encouraging you? I didn't know you felt that way. I never acted any different. YOU'RE the one who's been making me crazy!" That's when he exploded.

"Well you've been making ME crazy every day of my life, Aria!" I blinked, shocked at the force of his words. "Ever since I met you, you've been driving me insane. You were annoying, and frustrating, and stubborn, and foolish, and beautiful..." He paused to take a deep breath before going on.

"You think... I'm... Beautiful?" I had to force my jaw to close. I didn't want to swallow any bugs. But the point is, I was shocked.

"Yeah. You're gorgeous. Aria, you're the most beautiful girl I've ever met. And you don't even know it. Which makes me want you even more. It's funny how that works. Some girls look good and they know they look good, which makes them fucking annoying. You're beautiful without even trying. It drives me crazy. Always has, I guess." He took another shaking breath. He closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he met my gaze. The look in his blue eyes was so intense that it made me want to melt. I felt like I was melting. That pool of heat in my stomach was proof of that. I blushed, and he kept on talking.

"It was different when we were kids... You... Well, you still made me crazy. But in different ways. You were so good at everything. You were always better than me. A girl! You out-studied me, you out-fought me. You even out-ate me. Between you and Nina I felt like my manhood was being threatened." I smiled at that. Nina would be the one threatening his manhood, not me. My best friend may be an adventurer, but she's also a very boy crazy girl. Orland has been one of her many crushes in the past. He smiled back at me. And continued.

"The point is, you were always better than me. Nina did well in school, but until graduation I could at least keep pace with her. You were always a few steps ahead of me. You made me feel like I had to prove myself. I actually started working hard. I had to actually try to beat you. At first you just made me mad, but after a while it was actually admirable. And when you started going into the dungeons..." He shook his head, obviously fighting back mixed emotions.

"At first, I doubted you. I shouldn't have, but I was worried. I didn't think it was safe. I know it wasn't safe. But you were always going to be okay. I knew that deep down. the thing is, it didn't stop me from wishing you didn't put yourself in such situations. Or wishing that I could have had it in me to go with you. Help you somehow..." He seemed pretty torn up about this. I sighed. I don't remember how many times I've explained this to my friends...

"Orland, I didn't want help. Or need it. Aaron and I had it completely under control, and-"

"That's just it!" He interrupted me, throwing his hands in the air and beginning to pace. "You never needed help. You were always so capable. You've never needed anyone in your life. The thing is, I'm not like that. Sure, I'd be okay on my own. I'm capable. But I don't think I'd be very happy by myself. Without you... I'd shrivel up and die. And... If anything ever happened to... To you..." He stopped pacing directly in front of me and turned to look at me. He took a few shaking breaths and tried his best to regain his composure. It was hard seeing him so worked up like this. He placed his hands- now, trembling- on my shoulders and looked me right in the eyes.

"I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you, Aria," he said before wrapping me in a tight hug. I hugged him back, completely overwhelmed and at a loss for words. I closed my eyes and tried my best to soak it all in. He buried his face in my neck and murmured softly, "I need you, Aria. That's why I act the way I do. I'm an idiot, I should have just tried to explain how I feel... I'm sorry..." I took a shaking breath and drew back slightly, cupping his face in my hands as I made myself look into his eyes again.

"It's okay, Orland. I... I get it. But you're wrong," I said. He looked confused, so I went on. "I do need people. My father, for instance. I need him. I want him back. My mother, my brother. Nina... You..." He blinked and I stroked his cheeks gently with my palms. His skin was so soft...

"You... Need me?" He said wonderingly, staring at me, searching my face for... Something. I nodded, praying that he would find what he was looking for. "You're not just messing with me?" He asked. "I mean, you're serious?" I laughed then, and wrapped my arms around his neck, and hid my face in his cloak.

"Orland, my life would be so boring without you. I wouldn't have anyone to compete with. I wouldn't have anyone to argue with- except Nina and Aaron, but let's face it, they suck at debating." His arms held me a little tighter as he laughed with me. When we were finished laughing, I looked up at him. "I love spending time with you. Why else would I always hang around? Sure, you annoy me, but... I don't know. I can't help coming back for more, I guess." And he smiled at me again, and pressed his forehead to mine. I closed my eyes and just stood there, hugging him.

"I'm glad," he whispered fiercely as he hugged me tighter, and I squeezed him back.

I was hugging Orland. And he was hugging me back. It was weird. We've never hugged before. I decided I definitely like it. I have never felt more safe, or happy. And as we held each other in comfortable silence, the sun finally rose over the horizon and the day had arrived. It was breathtaking.

"It's so beautiful," I sighed, looking up at the sky. He chuckled happily and his eyes never once left my face.

"Yes," he said, emotion thick on his voice. "You are." I turned back to look into his eyes- those beautiful blue eyes that were looking at me so reverently, so... So... Lovingly...

"I think I get it now," I whispered. He cocked his head slightly, something he has always done; his parents and grandfather do it too. Must be an elf thing.

"What do you mean, Aria?" I placed my hands on his shoulders and stood on my tip toes so I could whisper in his ear.

"All that stuff I mentioned earlier..." I breathed, feeling him tense up as I ever so daringly pressed my lips to his smooth, angular jaw. "I finally understand. I get why we make each other so crazy..." I kissed his neck, and I had to suppress giggles as I watched him visibly swallow.

"And why is that?" I heard him trying so hard to control his voice. He's so cute, I thought. How have I never noticed before? I kissed his chin softly, listening to his ragged breaths and realizing just how much I was affecting him. I pressed my lips to his cheek, dangerously close to his mouth.

"Aria..." He was breathing hard now, and I couldn't believe it. I was doing this to him. I was making him like... Like this.

I was quite proud of myself.

"Yes?" I whispered against his skin, kissing his jaw again. He moaned softly, and I felt a pang in my chest. It wasn't altogether unpleasant. It just made me want to kiss him again. So I did. On the cheek again. Very gently. His eyes fluttered shut and he sighed.

"Please, Aria, Tell me..." I smiled and I pulled back enough to look up into his eyes again. "Tell me why... I'm going to lose it if you don't..." Grimoire, I could look into his eyes forever. In his eyes I found the courage to say what I said next.

"I think it's because... Because we are in love with each other, Orland," I said. His face lit up happily. He was practically glowing as I continued clumsily. "I mean, I've never been in love before, so I wouldn't know for sure. I mean, I've seen the way people in love act, and everybody is different, so I'm not certain, but I know how I feel, I think, and-" Suddenly he was crushing me to him, and- oh, dragongods, he was kissing me. Really kissing me.

And I kissed him back. His lips moved against mine hungrily, stroking my mouth with such fervor and passion. When his arms snaked around my waist and pulled me even closer to him I whimpered softly, and when I opened my mouth, I felt his soft, warm tongue trace my lips hesitantly.

This was so unlike any kiss I had ever experienced with my first and so far only boyfriend Roy. Now, when Roy tried that with me- once, only once, I swear- I bit his tongue hard enough to draw blood and I broke up with him. That was over three years ago. At that point the very idea of someone else's tongue touching me- much less being in my mouth- was enough to make me sick.

Now... Well now it was different. When I felt Orland gently, carefully, almost nervously run his tongue over my lips I felt the fire in my stomach burn hotter than ever before, and my mouth automatically opened to his, welcoming his every touch with excitement. My tongue flitted out and barely touched his, and that was enough to let him know I was okay with it. The nerves vanished and suddenly the kiss was that much more intense.

We were kissing passionately, our tongues dancing together in perfect harmony, fighting for dominance yet perfectly matched. Our mouths fit together as if we were meant for this, as if our lips were made to kiss each other. My hands entwined in his hair and pulled him as close as I could get him. His arms held me tight, and I never wanted him to let me go.

Finally we had to stop kissing if only to breathe. And instead of it being awkward like it had been every time I had kissed Roy, it was comfortable. Sweet. It was perfect. I rested my head on his chest and breathed in his scent. He smelled like pine. I decided everything should smell like pine.

"Aria..." He sighed into my hair as he pressed a gentle kiss on top of my head. "Oh, Aria..." I took a deep breath and I snuggled closer to him, wrapping my arms around his waist.

"Yes, Orland?" I asked, turning my head to look up at the sky again, smiling at the sunlight and welcoming the new day. And my reckless, foolish, smart, beautiful, handsome halfling held me close, and kissed me on the cheek.

"I love you..." And I knew he did. And that made me happier than I had ever been before.

"I love you, too, Orland." And he drew back and looked down into my eyes again. I was so happy I thought I might cry. And then, thank Grimoire, he kissed me. I decided that kissing was much more enjoyable than crying.

When we parted again, I looked around at the world around us, at the mountains, at the valley, at the forest. All so beautiful, yet so filled with danger and excitement. Each miracle of nature containing so much raw power and hiding adventures around every corner.

Kind of like love, I thought and smiled. I wonder what kind of adventure are in store for me and Orland now that we are togeth- wait!

"Orland!" I pushed him away from me in mock anger and began to yell at him. "I can't believe you! Ugh!" He looked at me in shock, his eyes wide.

"What!? What did I do!?" I jabbed him in the chest with my index finger. Hard.

"You KISSED me!" Suddenly he remembered my threat from earlier and he began to laugh hysterically.

"Hahahahahha! You kissed me back, idiot! HAHAHAHAHAHA!" I stomped my foot and crossed my arms and did my best to act like I was really mad.

"That's not the point, Orland, you damn halfling!" He was wiping tears from his eyes.

"Hahahahaha! Hahahaha... Oh, wow. Then what is the point, Aria? Hahaha..." I immediately invaded his space so that our noses were almost touching. He froze.

"You haven't even asked me to be your girlfriend," I whispered. He blushed and smiled and grabbed me and swung me around.

"OOOHHHH!" He said, laughing again. "Is that it? Well then. Aria, my dangerous darling, my beautiful warrior, my love! I'd ask you to be my girlfriend in a moment. I'd ask you to marry me if that would make you happy! I'd- oh shit did I just say that!?" He stopped and immediately put me on the ground.

He was suddenly very red. And sweaty. And nervous. And I felt better than ever!

"Was that a proposal...?" I asked him, feigning shock. He blushed even darker, if that was at all possible.

"Ummm... Do you want it to be a proposal?"

"That depends on whether you want to marry me or not," I giggled, unable to control myself. He smiled, relaxing slightly.

"Well, that would be a bit sudden," he admitted. I wrapped my arms around his neck.

"And reckless," I added. He nodded.

"Not to mention I don't even have a ring or anything to give you," he murmured as he gently kissed my temple. I reached up and tugged on the feathers he wore tucked in his headband.

"That's fine," I said slyly. "I'll take these." And I giggled as I got the feathers loose and begin to teasingly stroke his face with them. It didn't faze him, shockingly. In fact he just stared at me, lost in thought. Finally he caught my hand in his.

"You don't need both of them," he said firmly, taking them back and tucking one back in his headband. Then he surprised me.

He got down on one knee, took my hand in one of his, and held up the fest her with the other.

"Aria," he said seriously. "I know this is sudden. And reckless. And if you say yes it'll probably cause a whole lot of drama and there will be hell to pay. But I'm willing to pay any price, I'd do anything for you. I love you. Will you marry me?" I covered my mouth with my hands, shocked that this was actually happening.

Just a short while ago I had my blade pressed to this man's neck. And now he was down on one knee... Love is weird, I thought. But what the hell?

"Yes," I said, clasping my hands under my chin and jumping up and down. "Oh, Orland! Yes!" And I threw myself down at him, and knocked him flat on his back. And then I kissed him. Hard. Over and over again.

"Yes," I said between kisses. "I'll marry you..." He smiled and tucked the feather in my hair behind my ear. He kissed me again. Then he began to laugh, his laugh was so contagious that I got the giggles again too.

And we had to stop kissing so we could laugh it out, right there, wrapped in each other's arms on the ground in the middle of the crossroads, laughing hysterically while holding each other close. That's when we heard his voice.

"What is going on here...?" And we looked up silently to see Jake, Orland's father standing over us with his arms crossed sternly.

"Umm, hi, Dad," Orland said as he pulled me to my feet hurriedly. "What are you doing here so early? Usually by now you'd be at the forge."

"Answer my question, boy. What is going on here? I want to know why you and Kyle's daughter are rolling around in the dirt, laughing like maniacs," said the older man. "Right now." Orland was red and embarrassed and unprepared for this moment.

"Right... Um..." I'd never seen him more flustered. So I decided to take charge myself.

"Orland and I are getting married," I blurted unceremoniously. Judging by the bulging eyes of Jake and the incredulous look from Orland I probably shouldn't have been quite so blunt.

Ah, well. Too late now.

**Hahahaha oh my goodness that was soooo long! I hope you liked it. I will be writing two more chapters for this story. I hope you look forward to reading them. **

**Please review! I want some feedback and ideas for the next two chapters. Thanks guys :) Byyyyee!**


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